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Young immigrant voters lean left

Young Latinos and Asian-Americans who are immigrants or have at least one immigrant parent are more likely to be progressives in their politics and their views on issues such as immigration than their counterparts who have families have resided in the United States for longer periods.

According to a new GenForward poll, 87% of those ages 18 to 30 years, who are immigrants or who have parents who are immigrants, support allowing those who were brought to the United States illegally as children -- so-called “Dreamers” -- to remain legal residents. Of those whose families have resided longer in the U.S., 72% agree. Among first and second generation Latino and Asian immigrants, 85% oppose the building of a border security wall, while 74% of the third generation or greater are opposed.

GenForward polled adults ages 18 to 30, and was conducted by the Black Youth Project at the University of Chicago in cooperation with the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

The poll found that only a minority of young Latinos and Asian-Americans in the poll — 27 percent and 9 percent, respectively — say both of their parents were born in the United States.

Seventy-one percent of first and second generation Asian-Americans and Latinos, but just 49% of those whose families have been in the United States longer, identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party. Among third generation or later Hispanics and Asian-Americans, 27% identify7 with the Republican Party, but just 14 percent of more recent immigrants identify with or lean toward the Republican Party.

Fifty-nine percent of immigrants and children of immigrants, but just 34 percent of those who don't have at least one immigrant parent, have a favorable view of Hillary Clinton. Seventy-one percent of first and second generation Latinos and Asian-Americans, but just 50% of those who aren't immigrants or children of immigrants, say Clinton is qualified for the presidency. However, there is no similar gap on views regarding Donald Trump, with less than 2 in 10 among either group saying he is qualified to be president.